Little Guy Holiday Camera Guide

The Holidays are right around the corner, so that can mean only one thing;

The 2010 Little Guy Productions Holiday Camera Guide is hot off the presses!

We're always getting asked the question "what type of camera should I buy?" So, based off of picture, budget, and ease of use here are our picks for 2010

The 2010 "So Easy My Mother Can Use It" Camera Award Goes To:

Canon Powershot A3100

This camera is perfect for the budding photographer. It has a 12.1 Megapixel Resolution which would allow you to print a photo up to 20" x 30" (great for canvas art prints). It has that cool "Face Detection" mode that's great for a beginner. It auto detects faces and correctly focuses on them to get great looking photos (never worry about fuzzy shots again). In addition, the camera has a top notch built in flash and is actually one of the best entry level cameras in terms of shooting in low light situations.

Cost: Retails for $139.95 at B&H (get the red version!)

Ease of Use: Winner of the 2010 "So Easy My Mother Can Use It" Award. It's Windows 7 ready and if you have a Mac, it works great with iPhoto's plug and play capabilities. 'Nuff said!

Value: Canon cameras rock, and for this price it's almost a no brainer. Don't forget to order memory cards (SD, SDHC, SDXC) because the camera doesn't have its own built in memory.

Added Bonus: Shoots video (files are in .avi format, so Mac users beware).
On Second Thought: Battery drains quickly when using the viewfinder. Bring lots of spares.
LGP RATING: 8 out of 10 Stars

The 2010 "Dark Horse" Camera Award Goes to:
Nikon Coolpix L110 Digital Camera

I'm never one to market Nikon Cameras, but the Coolpix is great if you want to move away from amateur hour and start to get a little serious with your photos. Like the Powershot, it's a 12.1 Megapixel camera, but it has adjustable zoom. With the Coolpix, you can move the lens, instead of your entire body, to get the perfect shot you're looking for. It also had 15 different modes to shoot in if you want to start to experiment with your shots, and a Scene Auto selector if you get a little shy.

Cost: $196 at B&H
Ease of Use: More difficult than your point and shoot, but not as advanced as the prosumer DSLRs.
Value: Great camera for taking photos. It has a built in video camera, but it seems that it was an afterthought.
Added Bonus: Shoots video, but only up to 2GB worth per clip.
On Second Thought: The flash tends to cause some user frustration, occasionally blowing out photos.

LGP RATING: 6 out of 10 Stars (7 out of 10 if you ignore the video function)


The 2010 "This Will Get You Off the Naughty List" Camera Award Goes to:
Canon EOS Rebel T1i

This is the leading camera that teeters on the edge of prosumer-professional cameras. It's a 15.1 Megapixel camera that shoot High Definition video (H.264 files). This camera takes unbelievable photos in the automatic mode, but let's be honest, if you're buying this camera, it's because you or your loved one knows a little thing or two about cameras. As all Canon Rebel cameras, interchangeable lenses come in all shapes and sizes, but with most starter packages, you'll get the basic 18-55mm lens.

Cost: Normally $749 at B&H, but there's a $100 instant rebate offer that ends Jan 8, 2011.
Ease of Use: Difficult. Please read the user manual before use, or call me about a hour training session.
Value: If you plan on using your camera religiously, I recommend spending extra and you'll wind up getting your money's worth.
Added Bonus: Pick up the Canon 430EX Speedlight Flash to bump your photos up to the next level. Built in flash sucks hard.
On Second Thought: You need to purchase high class/speed memory cards (rating 6 or above) in order for the video to look good. Class 4 works great if you're just shooting photos. Higher class memory cards cost big bucks (Class 10 32 GB - $198.99).
LGP RATING: 9 out of 10 Stars